[U.S.] Efforts to end Alabama hostage situation shrouded in secrecy

Efforts to end Alabama hostage situation shrouded in secrecy
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20130202_ap_alasheriffboyheldhostageinbunkerhastoys.html
By Nadine Alfa. MIDLAND CITY, Alabama | Sat Feb 2, 2013 1:39pm EST. MIDLAND CITY, Alabama (Reuters) - Efforts to free a 5-year-old boy from a gunman in an underground bunker, where he fled after killing the boy's school bus driver, were shrouded in ...

A new plan for birth control coverage
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Obama-offers-faith-groups-new-birth-control-rule-4242982.php
WASHINGTON - The Obama administration, trying to defuse one of the most contentious issues in its healthcare law, proposed Friday a new way to shield religiously affiliated organizations, such as hospitals and universities, from having to provide ...

Groundhog Day â€" Spring is on the Way!
http://abcnews.go.com/US/groundhog-day-2013-punxsutawney-phil-sees-shadow-predicts/story?id=18382344
Every February 2nd is Groundhog Day, where we as Americans become fixated on a groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Nebraska Lt. Gov. Sheehy resigns from office
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Nebraska-Lt-Gov-Sheehy-resigns-from-office-4245526.php
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy resigned Saturday after "breaking the public trust," Gov. Dave Heineman said.

Teen Charged With Throwing Bronx Boy, 9, Off Roof: Police
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/8-Year-Old-Bronx-Boy-Falls-3-Stories-Building-Survives-Recovering-189495941.html
A 17-year-old boy has been arrested after police say he admitted to throwing a 9-year-old boy off the roof of a Bronx apartment building Friday night, critically injuring him.

Missing Girl Found Dead in California...
http://www.turnto23.com/news/state/missing-teenage-girl-found-dead-naked-in-california-park
Police say a teenage girl reported missing Thursday has been found dead in a park in the Northern California city of Fairfield. Officer Cleo Mayoral, a Fairfield police spokesman, says the girl's naked body was found by a passer-by a little before 7 a.m.

A Bipartisan House Group Quietly Drafts Its Own Immigration Proposal
http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Immigration-bill-splits-GOP-on-national-local-line-4245375.php
The group met, on and off, in almost complete secrecy for nearly four years. It lost members to political disagreements, and to re-election battles.

Convicted killer back in custody, found 'watching TV'
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57567044/ind-murder-convict-mistakenly-released-in-chicago/
Convicted murderer Steven Robbins appeared in court today, three days following his mistaken release from the Cook County Jail after being brought to Chicago to dispose of an old case against him, according to the Cook County sheriff's office.

Remembering Former First Dog Barney Bush
http://photographyblog.dallasnews.com/2013/02/remembering-former-first-dog-barney-bush.html/
Former President George W. Bush holds Barney in his home on April 28, 2009 for a photo book, Top Dogs and Their Pets. (David Woo Photo).

Harvard Forces Students to Get Jobs as Punishment for Cheating
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/02/harvard-forces-students-get-jobs-punishment-cheating/61728/
Between 60 and 70 Harvard students were forced to withdraw from school on Friday in the ultimate conclusion of a cheating scandal that could have happened at any school, but withdrawing probably doesn't mean what you think it does.

Chu remembered for more than Solyndra scandal
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/politics&id=8977652
BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- Energy Secretary Steven Chu is stepping down. The former head of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab drew a lot of political fire during his tenure on the president's cabinet.

Files show church missteps, evasions with priests
http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/Mahony-defends-legacy-on-church-abuse-in-blog-4238123.php
LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Archdiocese of Los Angeles released 12,000 pages of personnel files on sexually abusive priests that Archbishop Jose Gomez described as ''brutal and painful reading.